William (Clarke) Kilcullen

1897-1918

 

In the early hours of March 21st 1918 William Kilcullen (signed up as William Clarke for some reason we do not know – Clarke was his mothers maiden name) was with his Company in the village of Villers Faucon with the rest of the 6th Battalion spending a brief time out of the line in Divisional Reserve when the village was intensely bombarded. The bombardment commenced at 4.50am and was uncannily accurate pinpointing supply dumps and supply lines and destroying communications. It was the beginning of a massive German offensive and the sector being held by the 16th Irish Division was one of areas selected for a German breakthrough. At 12.53 in the afternoon the 6th Connaught Rangers were ordered forward to meet the attacking enemy and the Battalion proceeded east.

Near Ronssoy Wood, contact was made with enemy troops. At 3.45pm the Rangers were ordered to counterattack. A Company (William’s Company) led by Captain Crofton was to attack on the left with D Company on the right along a sunken road to the west of Ronssoy Wood. With little or no accurate intelligence on the strength of the enemy and in the midst of a terrific whirlwind of shell and rifle fire the men were led into the Wood. A Company was soon flanked on both sides by thousands of enemy storm troopers and the entire Company was annihilated. William was killed and his body was never recovered. He was 21 years old and single at the time of his death.

He is remembered on Panel 77 on the Pozieres Memorial on the Somme along with his Captain and the 57 enlisted men of the 6th Battalion Connaught Rangers who fell on March 21st 1918 and have no known grave.

Extracts from; “ Kiltimagh Life & Times”. By Peter Sobolewski & Betty Solan.

“1918 COMMUNICATION FAILURE LEADS TO DEATH ; In what is considered to be the last possible offensive by the Germans in this horrific war, eighty-four men from the Connaught rangers died unnecessarily, among them was William”.

Brendan Kilcullen